It has been 16 days in Kuala Lumpur following India’s young cricketers through missed examinations and IPL dreams. Sandeep Dwivedi turns back the clock with his daily diary as he maps India’s journey to their second under-19 World Cup title.

February 16

Land at KL airport, get new SIM card and exchange few dollar notes for several plastic coated ringets. Cricket-challenged cabbie isn’t the kind who can feature in a diary item. Takes new highway and reaches hotel in no time. Election fever all over, no symptoms of cricket World Cup around. Dav Whatmore gives the first feel of the junior World Cup — while answering media queries in mono-syllables, he calls skipper Virat Kohli ‘son’.

February 17

India’s first opponents are boys from Papua New Guinea. Even the waiter at Alladin, the Indian eating place outside the stadium, knows it’s going to be a cakewalk. Some of the PNG boys can’t afford going to school, none of them has ever played on a turf wicket, nor are they used to wearing spikes. The Indians turn up in branded shoes and have logos on their bats arranged by their agents. It’s a no-contest. Tanmay Srivastava scores 83, but isn’t overtly excited. Can’t be... he has scored a hundred in a Ranji final as well.

February 18

The Indians are disciplined on the field, and off it as well. “They are good boys,” says manager Gopal Bose. “Ask them to get to the team bus at seven and they’re all in the lobby by 6:45,” says asst manager Hitesh Patel. Hectic net session, it’s South Africa next.

... contd.